BATON ROUGE - Property tax assessments are going out in East Baton Rouge Parish, and owners living in the city limits of Baker and Baton Rouge can expect much larger overall contributions compared to years past.

In the Riverbend neighborhood off Brightside Drive, residents are paying at least $200 more a year in property taxes directly tied to CATS, yet the nearest bus stop and route is more than two miles away.

The CATS tax will eventually generate an additional $18 million a year to pay for better buses, more routes, and shorter wait times.

Residents hope CATS expands to Riverbend, and that it happens sooner rather than later.

"I was surprised at the increase. $600 is an awful lot of money for one person to pay to increase the bus routes," Kenilworth resident Chester Boyd said.

Property tax payments are due to the Sheriff's Office by Dec. 31 to avoid penalties and interest.